The present invention relates to a method and system for refilling brake circuits after rapid compressed air consumption.
Multi-circuit protective valves are known that divide an-energy supply into several mutually independent consumer circuits and, in the event of failure of a circuit, for example by line rupture, maintain a minimum pressure in the intact circuits. If a defect allowing more air to be lost than can be refilled by the compressor occurs in a service-brake circuit, the pressure in the service-brake circuits drops mutually until the closing pressure of the valve is reached. The pressure in the defective circuit continues to drop, whereas the closing pressure is maintained in the intact circuits. While the pressure in the defective circuit continues to drop, the circuits that are still intact can be refilled by the compressor until the opening pressure of the defective circuit is reached. A dynamic equilibrium is established in which the delivered compressed air can supply the circuits that are still intact (as well as secondary consumer circuits), although at the same time air is being lost via the defect. A disadvantage of such known multi-circuit protective valves is that refilling by the compressor takes a relatively long time because the compressor has only a relatively small delivery capacity, approximately 200 to 400 liters per minute. Accordingly, the nominal energy in the brake system is restored slowly—representing a disadvantage with respect to system safety.